Permanent auto-jack



Sept. 22, 1964 Filed April 9, 1962 C. G. HADEK PERMANENT AUTO-JACK 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES G. H ADEK ATTOPA/A'V C. G. HADEK PERMANENT AUTO-JACK 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 HEM EM INVENTOR.

CHARLES G. HADEK WQM;

Sept. 22, 1964 Filed April 9, 1962 mumm- Sept. 22, 1964 c. G. HADEK 3,149,822

PERMANENT AUTO-JACK Filed April 9, 1962 s Shets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. CHARLES G. HADEK (in!!! I l,

A Trap/vi? P 2, 1964 c. G. HADEK 3,149,822

PERMANENT AUTO-JACK Filed April 9, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. CHARLES G. HADEK J TTOP/VEV P 1954 c. s. HADEK 3,149,822-

PERMANENT AUTO-JACK Filed April 9, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 a M llll INVENTOR.

so YCHARLES G. HADEK United States Patent This invention relates to the art of vehicle jacks for lifting and lowering vehicles, and particularly concerns a permanent jack construction for use with automobiles, trucks, and the like.

The invention is intended to relieve some of the difliculties of tire changing. According to the invention there is provided an assembly of jacks which can be permanently mounted on the chassis frame of a vehicle. The assemblies are constructed so that they can be mounted on cross members of the frame at the front and rear of the vehicle. The jack assemblies include mechanisms primarily for hand operation, but also operable by hydraulic or pneumatic means.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a jack assembly whereby the entire front end and/or rear end of a vehicle can be elevated for changing tires, servicing the underside of a vehicle or other purpose.

A further object to provide a telescopic jack assembly which in retracted position is carried on a vehicle frame elevated and out of the way.

Another object is to provide a dual assembly of jacks mounted on an end of a chassis frame, both jacks being simultaneously operable.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a front end elevational view of the chassis frame of a vehicle with a jack assembly embodying the invention mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of one unit of a jack assembly shown on an enlarged scale, part being broken away.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the unit of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are side elevational views of threaded shafts employed in the jack assembly, lower parts of the shafts in FIGS. 5 and 6 being broken away.

FIGS. 5A, 6A and 7A are fragmentary side elevational views of other threaded shafts employed in the jack assembly, parts of shafts in FIGS. 5A and 6A being broken away.

FIG. 8 is an exploded sectional view of parts of a jack unit.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a part of the jack unit, taken on line 99 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a drive gear employed in the jack unit.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a friction spring employed in the jack unit.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view on a reduced scale of a foot plate employed in the jack unit.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a spring lock employed to limit extension of a threaded shaft.

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of a crank, taken on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken on line 15-15 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a side view of an extension bar which may be employed in a jack unit.

FIG. 17 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken $349,822 Patented Sept. 22, E354 on line 17-17 of FIG. 1, parts being shown in side elevation.

FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken on line 1818 of FIG. 17, parts being shown in side elevation.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view through a jack unit illustrating a modification of the invention.

FIG. 26 is a fragmentary sectional view of a part of a threaded shaft employed in the unit of FIG. 19.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a chassis frame 10 of a vehicle having a cross beam 12. Mounted near opposite right and left wheels 14, 16, as viewed in FIG. 1, are jack units 24 and 24 of a jack assembly 20. Disposed between the units is a housing 26 for a gear drive mechanism. The mechanism is operatively connected to the jack units by rotatable drive shafts 23 extending in axial alignment outwardly of opposite sides of the housing.

The jack units 24* and 24 are substantiall identical so that only one jack unit will be explained in detail. It will be understood that at the rear end of the chassis frame 10 an assembly of two other jack units 24 and 24* can be mounted in the same manner as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, there is shown the jack unit 24* including a casing 30 on which is mounted by bolts 32 an annular plate 34. This plate carries an axially vertical tube 36 secured by brackets 38 to a vertical rectangular plate 49. Plate 40 has corner holes 42 which receive bolts 42 for securing the jack unit to the chassis frame.

Casing 30 has a depending cylindrical extension 44 which is axially vertical and a radially extending cylindrical extension 46. On top of extension 44 is a shallow seat 45 on which a cylindrical ball bearing race assembly 48 is disposed. On this bearing assembly is disposed a bevel gear ring 49 having external teeth 50 and an internal helical thread 52. Teeth 50 are engaged with teeth 54 of a miter gear 56. The gear 56 has a hub 58 in which is a circumferential groove 60. Radially extending pins 62 engage in the groove and hold the gear 56 rotatably in casing extension 46. The gear 56 is rotated by a drive shaft 23 secured to gear collar 61 by set screw 63.

The internal thread 52 of gear ring 49 engages external thread 64 of a first elongated hollow cylindrical shaft 66. Shaft 66, as shown to best advantage in FIGS. 4 and 5, is provided with external right-hand thread 64. An internal right-hand thread 65 extends a short distance up from the bottom end of the shaft. The shaft has a smooth bore 67 above thread 65. Springs 63* and 68 are engaged in holes 69, 70 near top and bottom ends of the shaft. Each spring, as clearly shown by spring 68a in FIG. 13, is a circularly curved spring wire member extending slightly more than 180". One end of the spring has a radially inwardly extending bent hook or tip 72 which enters one of the holes in the shaft and serves to hold the spring on the shaft.

Inside shaft 66 and concentric therewith is another hollow shaft 75; see FIGS. 4 and 6. This shaft has an external right-hand thread '76 engaged with thread 65 of shaft 66. Shaft 75 has an internal right-hand thread 78 at its lower end. The shaft has a smooth bore 77 above thread 78.

- Two limit springs 89, 81 are engaged with the shaft near its upper and lower ends. The ends of the springs are engaged in holes 82, $3 in the shaft.

Inside of shaft 75 is another shaft 86; see FIGS. 4 and 7. This shaft is provided with an external righthand thread 557 which is engaged with internal thread 78. A single limit spring 84 is provided near the top of shaft 86. This lock has its hook end engaged in hole 88. The

5 bottom end 89 of the shaft 86 is formed with a groove 91 which is engaged by set screws 3 in a nipple 92 extending upwardly axially from foot plate 9%; see FIG. 12. Foot plate 9t includes a circular base 94 and radially extending ribs 95 for strengthening the foot plate structurally.

Casing 311 has a recess 31 formed in the side of extension 44 diametrically opposite extension 46, as is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The hooked end 47 of a leaf spring 51 engages in this recess; see FIG. 11. The spring is biased so that it presses against the threaded outer side of shaft 66 and by frictional engagement prevents the shaft rom rotating.

A lubrication fitting 98 (see FIG. 3) may be provided on top of plate 34 communicating with the interior of the casing for applying a suitable lubricant to the parts in the casing without having to disassemble the jack unit.

FIG. 5A shows part of another threaded shaft 66 which is employed in jack unit 24 and corresponds to shaft 66 in jack unit 24 This shaft is externally threaded with a left-hand thread in contrast to the right-hand thread of shaft 66. The shaft 66 has an internal lower left-hand thread 65*. The shaft has a smooth internal bore 6'7 like bore 67 in shaft 66.

FIG. 6A shows part of another threaded shaft '75 which is employed in jack unit 24 corresponding to shaft 75 in unit 24. Shaft 75* has an external left-hand thread 76 and a smooth internal bore 77 terminating at the lower end of the shaft in a left-hand internal thread 78 FIG. 7A shows shaft 86 which is employed in jack unit 24 and corresponds to shaft 86 in jack unit 24*. This shaft has an external thread 87 Other parts corresponding to those of shaft 86 are identically numbered. These three shafts are disposed in concentric coaxial array inside tube 36 of the jack unit, in a manner similar to that illustrated in FIG. 4 for jack unit 24*.

FIGS. 17 and 18 show internal details of the gear housing 26. The housing has a rectangular bottom plate 1% detachably secured by bolts 102. inside the housing is a worm gear 1134 carried on shaft 23. Shaft 23 rotates in radial bearings 108, 11% held inside the housing by side rings 112, 114. Set screws 116 secure the worm gear to the shaft. A worm 118 is carried on a shaft 120 journaled in front and rear bearings 122, 124. The worm engages with the worm gear and rotates the worm gear when the worm is rotated with shaft 120. Shaft 12@ is secured by a coupling 125 to a crank socket 126. This socket receives the splined end 128 of a crank 13% shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. If desired an extension crankshaft 132 shown in FIG. 16 may be provided for insertion between socket 126 and shaft 12%. The extension shaft has a threaded end 133 and a threaded socket 135 at the other end to facilitate engagement with coupling 125 and shaft 120. A rectangular plate 136 is secured to the housing and is provided with holes 138 for receiving bolts 139 to support the housing on the chassis frame 12; see FIG. 1.

The jack assembly is operated as follows. Initially the jack units are retracted as shown in FIG. 1, with the jack plates 99 elevated above the bottom of lowermost projecting part C of the chassis frame 10. The crank 130 is engaged in socket 126 by insertion of the crank end 128 therein. If the crank is turned in one direction, the meshed gear 104 and worm 118 will rotate to rotate shaft 23. Shaft 23 rotates the miter gears 56 in the jack units 24*, 24 The miter gears turn the bevel gears 49. As gears 49 rotate, shafts 66 and 66 are prevented from turning by the springs 51 frictionally engaged thereon. The shafts move axially downward until their upper limit springs 68 engage on the upper ends of gears 49. Thereafter the gears 49 and shaft 66, 66 rotate together. When the shafts 66, 66- are sufficiently lowered, the jack plates 0 are forced against the ground. Continued rotation of the crank results in downward axial movement of shafts 75 and 75 as internally threaded portions 65, 65 of shafts 66, 66 track the external threads 76, 7 6 The shafts 75, "1'5 are stopped by engagement of upper limit springs 39 on the threads 65, 65 Thereafter, the shafts 66, rotate together and shafts 66, 75 rotate together. Shafts 86, 86* now move axially downward as threads 78, 78 rotate around the external shaft threads 87, 87 These shafts are stopped when upper limit springs 84 engage on internal threads 78, 7 8*.

Since both jack units are simultaneously operated, the whole front end of the vehicle can be raised by rotation of the single crank in one direction. The jack assembly at the rear of the vehicle (not shown) will be operated in the same manner to raise the rear end of the vehicle. By turning the crank in reverse direction the threaded shafts will telescopically retract to the position of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 19 and 20 show jack unit 24 which is similar to jack unit 24 and can replace jack unit 24 in assembly 20. Corresponding parts are identically numbered. In jack unit 24, a stationary threaded roll 15% is secured to the top 151 of tube 36 by nuts 152, 154. This rod is axially vertical and passes through a cylindrical block 156 internally and axially threaded at 158. The block is secured nonrotatably in the upper end of shaft 66'. Shaft 86 is hollow.

In operation of jack unit 24, the engagement of threaded rod with the threaded block 156 will permit the shaft 66 to turn and will also cause the shaft 66 to move axially downward as the shaft is turned by bevel gear 4?. The shaft 66 will move axially downward until spring 68 engages the top of gear 49. At this position of shaft 66', the block 156 is disengaged from the thread of rod 156 but the lower unthreaded ends 153 of rod 159 will be positioned in the threaded bore of the block to serve as a guide for reengagement of the block and threaded rod on reverse upward movement of the shaft. Continued turning together of the gear 49 and shaft 66' causes shafts 75 and 86 to be moved axially downward as above explained. Another jack unit with oppositely threaded shafts and threaded rod will be employed for the other jack unit forming part of the assembly 20.

Instead of employing a manually operable crank, a suitable pneumatically, hydraulically or mechanically driven driving tool or appliance may be engaged with socket 126 for operating the jack assembly to raise and lower the vehicle.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

1. A jack assembly for raising and lowering an end of a vehicle having a chassis frame, comprising a pair of jack units and a gear housing, means for securing said units and housing to one end of said frame in horizontally spaced relationship with said housing disposed between the jack units, each of said jack units comprising a generally cylindrical casing, a cylindrical hollow member extending axially upward from the casing, a pair of axially vertical hollow shafts telescopically disposed one Within the other in said member, each of said shafts being externally threaded for substantially the full length thereof and being internally threaded for only a part of its length from one end thereof, a ring gear having external teeth and an internal helical thread rotatably disposed in the casing, a miter gear rotatably carried by the casing in mesh with the teeth of said ring gear, the external thread of the outer one of said shafts being engaged with the internal thread of the ring gear, the external thread of the inner shaft being engagedwith the internal thread of the outer shaft, a third externally threaded shaft axially disposed inside said inner shaft and engaged with the internal thread of said inner shaft, said third shaft having one end extending vertically outside of the casing, and a araaaaa horizontal base plate secured to said end of the third shaft; a gear mechanism in said gear housing, a crankshaft connected to said gear mechanism for driving the same by externally applied mechanical power, and drive shaft means connecting the gear mechanism and the miter gear in each jack unit, whereby the shafts in both jack units are simultaneously extended and retracted to raise and lower one end of the vehicle when said crankshaft is turned in one direction and another direction respectively, a depending cylindrical extension on said casing, said extension having a recess formed therein, and a leaf spring in said recess frictionally engaging the outer one of said shafts to prevent turning of the same while the ring gear is turning to move said outer shaft axially.

2. A jack assembly for raising and lowering an end of a vehicle having a chassis frame, comprising a pair of jack units and a gear housing, means for securing said units and housing to one end of said frame in horizontally spaced relationship with said housing disposed between the jack units, each of said jack units comprising a generally cylindrical casing, a cylindrical hollow member extending axially upward from the casing, a pair of axially vertical hollow shafts telescopically disposed one within the other in said member, each of said shafts being externally threaded for substantially the full length thereof and being internally threaded for only a part of its length from one end thereof, a ring gear having external teeth and an internal helical thread rotatably disposed in the casing, a miter gear rotatahly carried by the casing in mesh with the teeth of said ring gear, the external thread of the outer one of said shafts being engaged with the internal thread of the ring gear, the external thread of the inner shaft being engaged with the intern-a1 thread of the outer shaft, a third externally threaded shaft axially disposed inside said inner shaft and engaged with the internal thread of said inner shaft, said third shaft having one end extending vertically outside of the casing, and a horizontal base plate secured to said end of the third shaft; a gear mechanism in said gear housing, a crankshaft connected to said gear mechanism for driving the same by externally applied mechanical power, drive shaft means connecting the gear mechanism and the miter gear in each jack unit, whereby the shafts in both jack units are simultaneously extended and retracted to raise and lower one end of the vehicle when said crankshaft is turned in one direction and another direction respectively, said gear mechanism including a worm and worm gear in mesh with each other, said drive shaft means being connected to the worm gear, said crankshaft being connected to the Worm gear, a depending cylindrical extension on said casing, said extension having a recess formed therein, and a leaf spring in said recess frictionally engaging the outer one of said shafts to prevent turning of the same while the ring gear is turning to move said outer shaft axially.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,741,793 Runyan Dec. 31, 1929 1,763,144 Fuller June 10, 1930 1,811,629 Hott June 23, 1931 1,925,161 William-s Sept. 5, 1933 2,054,025 Snell Sept. 8, 1936 2,153,530 Trinkler Apr. 4, 1939 2,183,367 POW Dec. 12, 1939 2,241,877 Contrino et al. May 13, 1941 2,277,908 Hess et al. Mar. 13, 1942 2,347,921 Miller May 2, 1944 2,523,962 Mahaffey et al Sept. 26, 1950 2,575,659 Ensey et al. Nov. 20, 1951 

1. A JACK ASSEMBLY FOR RAISING AND LOWERING AN END OF A VEHICLE HAVING A CHASSIS FRAME, COMPRISING A PAIR OF JACK UNITS AND A GEAR HOUSING, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID UNITS AND HOUSING TO ONE END OF SAID FRAME IN HORIZONTALLY SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID HOUSING DISPOSED BETWEEN THE JACK UNITS, EACH OF SAID JACK UNITS COMPRISING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CASING, A CYLINDRICAL HOLLOW MEMBER EXTENDING AXIALLY UPWARD FROM THE CASING, A PAIR OF AXIALLY VERTICAL HOLLOW SHAFTS TELESCOPICALLY DISPOSED ONE WITHIN THE OTHER IN SAID MEMBER, EACH OF SAID SHAFTS BEING EXTERNALLY THREADED FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH THEREOF AND BEING INTERNALLY THREADED FOR ONLY A PART OF ITS LENGTH FROM ONE END THEREOF, A RING GEAR HAVING EXTERNAL TEETH AND AN INTERNAL HELICAL THREAD ROTATABLY DISPOSED IN THE CASING, A MITER GEAR ROTATABLY CARRIED BY THE CASING IN MESH WITH THE TEETH OF SAID RING GEAR, THE EXTERNAL THREAD OF THE OUTER ONE OF SAID SHAFTS BEING ENGAGED WITH THE INTERNAL THREAD OF THE RING GEAR, THE EXTERNAL THREAD OF THE INNER SHAFT BEING ENGAGED WITH THE INTERNAL THREAD OF THE OUTER SHAFT, A THIRD EXTERNALLY THREADED SHAFT AXIALLY DISPOSED INSIDE SAID INNER SHAFT AND ENGAGED WITH THE INTERNAL THREAD OF SAID INNER SHAFT, SAID THIRD SHAFT HAVING ONE END EXTENDING VERTICALLY OUTSIDE OF THE CASING, AND A HORIZONTAL BASE PLATE SECURED TO SAID END OF THE THIRD SHAFT; A GEAR MECHANISM IN SAID GEAR HOUSING, A CRANKSHAFT CONNECTED TO SAID GEAR MECHANISM FOR DRIVING THE SAME BY EXTERNALLY APPLIED MECHANICAL POWER, AND DRIVE SHAFT MEANS CONNECTING THE GEAR MECHANISM AND THE MITER GEAR IN EACH JACK UNIT, WHEREBY THE SHAFTS IN BOTH JACK UNITS ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY EXTENDED AND RETRACTED TO RAISE AND LOWER ONE END OF THE VEHICLE WHEN SAID CRANKSHAFT IS TURNED IN ONE DIRECTION AND ANOTHER DIRECTION RESPECTIVELY, A DEPENDING CYLINDRICAL EXTENSION ON SAID CASING, SAID EXTENSION HAVING A RECESS FORMED THEREIN, AND A LEAF SPRING IN SAID RECESS FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING THE OUTER ONE OF SAID SHAFTS TO PREVENT TURNING OF THE SAME WHILE THE RING GEAR IS TURNING TO MOVE SAID OUTER SHAFT AXIALLY. 